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Published : 22 Aug 2025, 08:38 PM
The National Consensus Commission has not received feedback from six political parties despite extending the deadline for views on the final consolidated draft of the July Charter by two days.
Originally, parties were asked to submit their feedback by Aug 20.
This deadline was later extended to 3pm on Aug 22.
A total of 24 parties had submitted their opinions on the draft, according to commission spokesperson Paban Chowdhury.
Asked if more time would be given to the remaining parties, he said: “No decision has been made yet. Although the deadline is 3pm, some parties may still submit their feedback later [on Friday].”
Speaking to bdnews24.com earlier, commission Vice-Chairman Ali Riaz told bdnews24.com that after reviewing the feedback, a third round of discussions with the political parties is expected to take place on Aug 26–27.
The consolidated draft proposes that the Charter be implemented through “constitutional and legal mechanisms”, and that it should not be open to challenge in court.
The panel is seeking formal commitments from political parties on these points, as the draft represents what it calls the outcome of extensive discussions following a shift in the political landscape.
It also proposes that the Charter’s provisions, proposals and recommendations take precedence over any existing clauses in the Constitution or other laws that may contradict them.
Eight such pledges are included in the draft sent to parties by the Consensus Commission on Aug 16.
In addition, the Charter recommends that proposals deemed immediately actionable should be implemented without delay -- ideally before the general election.
To ensure legal safeguards and full implementation of the Charter, the commission, which has been working on state reform issues, is asking parties to commit to these principles in advance.
Alongside the participating political parties, members of the commission itself are expected to sign the much-discussed document.
